1. One of the chief motives which induced me to prolong the voyage to which I was compelled to resort so as to return to this frontier by a way of Calcutta was the expectation of meeting there the Agents of the East Indian Railway Company and of being thus enabled to enter into personal communication with them. On reaching the Presidency in March, I found that they had not arrived nor indeed were they then expected. I remained at Calcutta until the middle of April, when the commencement of the hot season rendered it impossible for me safely to delay any longer my journey to that part of the country where my presence had appeared necessary. I have thus failed in obtaining of the opportunity which I much desired of conferring with officers of the Railway Company in concert with the members of the Government and its advisers.

2. The President in council has transmitted to me a report by Mr Simms, the consulting Engineer to the Government on the proposed railway and I have subsequently received a similar report drawn up by the Engineers of the Railway Company.

I have most carefully, and to the best of my ability considered and deliberated upon the content of these Reports and on the letters addressed to me by the Hon'ble the President in Council. I have taken ample time to do so; for the subject is one of the most important in itself, wherein a false step hastily or inconsiderately taken at the commencement, might be productive of much inconvenience hereafter.